The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1887-02-02
MAKING OF CHARCOAL.
Origin and Uses OF tho Product.

10 W DuIil, VI TcutlCo 10 coal or carbon,
and 'coal" is a term roforablo to all
black substances. Charcoal means. lit
orally, wood reduced to impure carbon
by cxpelling the volatile matter. In
tllo carry history Of tho IRON trade it was
an ingredient Of the first Importance.
Our present name for fossil coal is bor-
roWcu from this material. When made
from beech wood it was called ''beoch
coal"
f Carbon&ing wood is very ancient, as
IL was described in detail in the works
of u Greek author who wrote 800 years
B. Z. Pliny reports that at this time
to make charcoal tile wood was stacked
pin pyramids and covered with clay
or plaster, which was pierced in various
places to allow the smoke to escape.
rhe ancicnts evidently knew how to
2 sSSko charcoal, and were familiar with
I properties and uses. The Chinese,
10 have singularly perfected many
branches Of industry, carbonizc wood in
~ subtcrrancan furnace provided with
Two openings, ono TO serve as chin.
ncy and the other for ventilation.
When the subtcrrancan furnace is filled
with wood piled up vertically, it is cov-
cred with twigs and branches of trees,
and lastly earth. 1t is then ignited at
the openings, and rs soon as tho smoke
comes off in sufficient abundance the
valves arc closed SO far rs to leave on
Iva very small opening. Fivo days az
ter the fire has been igntcd the smoke
commences to clear up, AMI finally to
become perfectly transparent, in proof
that the combustion of all the volatile
ingredients of the wood is complete.
When this point is reached every out
lot is hcrmctically sealed, and in the
course Of six days moro the contents of
tho furnace will be found to be sunl-
GENTLY cool to admit Of the removal of
the charge.
4 The Chinese method is ono OF extreme
simplicity, and furnishes thirty to thir-
iy-five per cent. OF hard, resonant char
coal, and is great improvement on tho
processes followed in this country and
europe Tn the Eastern States for
moro than one hundred years the FOR
ests OH the hillside have been dcspoiled
of their trees, and great quantities of
charcoal have been made for use in the
manufacture OF charcoal iron. SO much
injury has been done to the country by
the ruthless manner in which this work
has been dono that it is question
whether all of tho iron manufactured
can compensate for the damage. L the
person who first invontcd charcoal had
dug down into tho bowels OF the earth
and brought to light tho coal buried
there and had never discovered how to
carbonizc the wood, it would have been
an untold blessing to the beauty Of our
forests, irrigation Of our soil, and to tho
many stories that have been woven
around tho charcoal camp of monarcls
i'll disguise, seeking to escape pursuit;
Of outlaws fleeing from the myrmdons
of the law; Of lost huntsmcn, abducted
children; Of gnomes and wood spirits
and kobboldc; of hcrmts and saintey
men affordng Il confusion Of history,
superstition and religion, which lends
to The depths of the forests q charm PC
culiarly it's own.
Charcoal-burncrs, as q rule, arc q rude
sci everywhere, living, as they do, apatr
from tho dwellings Of men, often in
hol ,es not made with hands, out Of the
reach Of schools.
In Golden times' charcoal-burners
were called golfers, an occupation
which furnished tho family name OF
Collier, Collyer and Colyear. Some
years ago it was discovered that wood
charcoal removes offensive smells from
animal substances, and counteracts
their putrofaction. This property has
been largely used in dwellings, hospit-
ais, scwors and manufactures. Some
gases are absorbed to u large extent;
for example, ono volume Of fresh char
coal will absorb ninety volumes Of am
monia, flfty-Ave volumes of sulphurct-
ed hydrogen, thirty-ilyc volumes of car
bonic acid, and 1.75 volumes of hydro
gen. Charcoal also absorbs consider
able quantity yof Wator from tho atmos-
phore.
Charcoal Is one of the most indcstruc-
tiblc substances in nature which has
been known from tho earliest times.
Tho Romans charred tho stakes which
were used for the construction Of britlp-
cs, and after lapse Of nearly 1000
years, Gho romans OF tho woodwork in
tho foundation Of the famous bridge
built by Caesar over tho Rhine have
been found to havo been perfectly well
preserved. Most Of tho houses In Ven